Gardening for health & connection in East London
- CHT Comms Team
- 15 minutes ago
- 3 min read
How our horticultural therapy programme at Highams Lodge is helping to grow resilience, nurture wellbeing and support mental health.
Highams Lodge is our CQC-regulated, high-support mental health recovery community in Waltham Forest, through which we provide a safe, supportive, containing
environment for people living with profound mental health challenges. Our formulation-based recovery programme integrates trauma-informed practices into care, promoting understanding, supportive, positive relationships, and personal growth and recovery.
Extensive studies have shown that gardening and being in nature can benefit physical and emotional health [1] [2] [3]. So, in 1994, when residents suggested they would like to learn more about horticulture and use the communal garden, we thought this would be a perfect addition to our therapeutic programme.
We partnered with Thrive, a charity that supports people with physical or mental health conditions to engage with gardening, to pilot a horticultural therapy programme for our residents with the aim to;
Support residents to learn valuable life skills through hands-on gardening experiences.
Improve physical and mental wellbeing by being outdoors in nature, engaging in physical activity and learning about nutrition and healthy eating.
Help create a sense of community and belonging by creating a beautiful outside space where residents can connect.
Together with residents, we codesigned a programme of gardening activities tailored to our residents' skills, interests and abilities. We established a consistent weekly schedule that offered flexibility, allowing residents to participate in full-day gardening sessions or drop in as they wished, progressing at their own pace.
Every Tuesday, Richard, an experienced Horticultural Therapist, led activities that included planting herbs, vegetables, and bulbs and maintaining the garden. He supported residents to learn about ecological principles and sustainability and set up tasks that could be completed throughout the week without supervision, such as watering plants, harvesting fruits and vegetables and making nourishing meals for the community.
The impact of the pilot was profound. Residents told us that it was empowering to be involved in the entire lifecycle of gardening, from planning and planting to nurturing and harvesting. Sixty percent of residents to who took part reported improvements in their physical health, while seventy-five told us feelings of anxiety reduced. The meaningful activities encouraged teamwork, creativity, and skill development, and eighty percent of residents told us that they learned something new and were eager to continue gardening.
"When the residents were engaging in these activities, they were calm, happy, relaxed and smiling, and all spoke positively about how hopeful working with their hands and seeing things grow and be nurtured made them feel. It was clear that this was a profoundly meaningful experience for them, not just in the moments when they were engaged but the moments in between, allowing seeds of possibility to grow and future hopes for themselves to blossom." Observation from CHT's staff team
Residents shared that caring for and nurturing the plants contributed to their sense of responsibility. Many told us they were thrilled that they could choose what they would like to plant in the garden, as this created a safe space for self-expression and to celebrate cultural diversity. One resident chose to plant a callaloo (pictured), a West Indian vegetable, because she wanted something that reminded her of her culture and celebrated her identity.
“[Thrive] has made me more sociable. It has made me more active and go to more activities.” Resident at Highams Lodge
This hands-on experience also helped to improve residents' connection to nature and each other, with sixty per cent reporting increased social interactions as a result of participating in the programme.
This year, our horticultural programme is once again blossoming thanks to generous grant support from organisations, including The David Family Foundation and Westfield Health.
The garden is already full of herbs and seedlings that will be ready for cultivation later this year, and we are so excited to report back on the outcomes of this project in 2025. Thank you to everyone who makes our work possible.
"The Thrive horticultural therapy program has proven to be an invaluable resource for residents in our therapeutic community, yielding significant benefits in mental health, skill development, and social interaction. Just as mycelium networks underground, connecting various plant species and facilitating nutrient exchange, our horticultural therapy programme has created a network of support among residents, mirroring mycelium's natural growth and interconnectedness in nature." Valentina Chiricallo, Psychotherapist, Highams Lodge
[1] Soga M., Gaston K.J., & Yamaura Y. (2017). Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 5, 92-99
[2] van den Berg, A.E., & Custers, M.H. (2011). Gardening promotes neuroendocrine and affective restoration from stress. Journal of Health Psychology, 16, 3–11
[3] Wilson, J.F., & Christensen, K.M. (2011). The relationship between gardening and depression among individuals with disabilities. Journal of Therapeutic Horticulture, 21, 28–41
